Over the past few weeks, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo members, social media fans and guests helped name Asha’s baby gorilla while fundraising for a new home for great apes at CMZoo. The votes are in – and this historic CMZoo baby has a name!
Meet Sully!
Primate World keepers chose three name options up for public vote. A $5 minimum donation was required to participate in the vote, with every donation supporting a brand-new home for gorillas, orangutans and more! In addition to helping make history by naming this little one, every dollar raised will fund historic improvements to great ape habitats at CMZoo.
Donation and vote amounts for each name:
Sully: $7,300
Abu: $4,346
Ryder: $2,805
In total, 462 generous people donated to vote for the baby’s name, raising $39,451 – including the $25,000 match and contribution from a generous individual donor. CMZoo is one of very few nonprofit zoos in the country that does not receive tax support. Animal care, conservation and Zoo operations and improvements depend on admissions, programs and generous donations.
Asha, a 33-year-old critically endangered Western lowland gorilla, gave birth to Sully on Mon., July 21, 2025. It had been nearly 13 years since a gorilla was born at CMZoo before Sully’s arrival.